Luke 3:21

Contemporary English Version

While everyone else was being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. Then as he prayed, the sky opened up,

Parallel Translations

Christian Standard Bible®
When all the people were baptized, Jesus also was baptized. As he was praying, heaven opened,

King James Version (1611)
Now when all the people were baptized, and it came to passe that Iesus also being baptized, and praying, the heauen was opened:

King James Version
Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,

English Standard Version
Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened,

New American Standard Bible
Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus also was baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened,

New Century Version
When all the people were being baptized by John, Jesus also was baptized. While Jesus was praying, heaven opened

Amplified Bible
Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and while He was praying, the [visible] heaven was opened,

New American Standard Bible (1995)
Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened,

Legacy Standard Bible
Now it happened that when all the people were being baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened,

Berean Standard Bible
When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as He was praying, heaven was opened,

Complete Jewish Bible
While all the people were being immersed, Yeshua too was immersed. As he was praying, heaven was opened;

Darby Translation
And it came to pass, all the people having been baptised, and Jesus having been baptised and praying, that the heaven was opened,

Easy-to-Read Version
When all the people were being baptized, Jesus came and was baptized too. And while he was praying, the sky opened,

Geneva Bible (1587)
Nowe it came to passe, as all the people were baptized, and that Iesus was baptized and did pray, that the heauen was opened:

George Lamsa Translation
It came to pass when all the people were baptized, Jesus also was baptized, and while he prayed the heaven was opened,

Good News Translation
After all the people had been baptized, Jesus also was baptized. While he was praying, heaven was opened,

Lexham English Bible
Now it happened that when all the people were baptized, Jesus also was baptized, and while he was praying, heaven was opened,

Literal Translation
And it happened, in the baptizing of all the people, Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened;

American Standard Version
Now it came to pass, when all the people were baptized, that, Jesus also having been baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,

Bible in Basic English
Now it came about that when all the people had been given baptism, Jesus, having had baptism with them, was in prayer, when, the heaven being open,

Hebrew Names Version
Now it happened, when all the people were immersed, that, Yeshua also having been immersed, and praying, the sky was opened,

International Standard Version
When all the people had been baptized, Jesus, too, was baptized. While he was praying, heaven opened,Matthew 3:13; John 1:32;">[xr]

Etheridge Translation
But it was when he had baptized all the people, and also Jeshu he baptized. And while he prayed,

Murdock Translation
And it occurred, when all the people were baptized, that Jesus also was baptized. And as he prayed, the heavens were opened;

Bishop's Bible (1568)
Nowe it came to passe, as all the people were baptized, and when Iesus was baptized, and dyd praye, that the heauen was opened,

English Revised Version
Now it came to pass, when all the people were baptized, that, Jesus also having been baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,

World English Bible
Now it happened, when all the people were baptized, that, Jesus also having been baptized, and praying, the sky was opened,

Wesley's New Testament (1755)
Now while all the people were baptizing, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized,

Weymouth's New Testament
Now when all the people had been baptized, and Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the sky opened,

Wycliffe Bible (1395)
And it was don, whanne al the puple was baptised, and whanne Jhesu was baptised, and preiede, heuene was openyd.

Update Bible Version
Now it came to pass, when all the people were baptized, that, Jesus also having been baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,

Webster's Bible Translation
Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,

New English Translation
Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus also was baptized. And while he was praying, the heavens opened,

New King James Version
Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; John 1:29-34">[xr] When all the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also was baptized; and while He prayed, the heaven was opened.

New Living Translation
One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. As he was praying, the heavens opened,

New Life Bible
When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized also. As He prayed, the heaven opened.

New Revised Standard
Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened,

J.B. Rotherham Emphasized Bible
Now it came to pass, when one and all the people were immersed, Jesus also, having been immersed, and being at prayer, heaven was opened;

Douay-Rheims Bible
Now it came to pass, when all the people were baptized, that Jesus also being baptized and praying, heaven was opened.

Revised Standard Version
Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened,

Tyndale New Testament (1525)
And yt fortuned as all the people receaved baptyme (and when Iesus was baptised and dyd praye) that heave was opened

Young's Literal Translation
And it came to pass, in all the people being baptised, Jesus also being baptised, and praying, the heaven was opened,

Miles Coverdale Bible (1535)
And it fortuned whan all the people receaued baptyme, and whan Iesus also was baptysed and prayed, that heauen opened,

Mace New Testament (1729)
When all the people were baptizing, Jesus was likewise baptized, and whilst he was praying, the clouds opened,

THE MESSAGE
After all the people were baptized, Jesus was baptized. As he was praying, the sky opened up and the Holy Spirit, like a dove descending, came down on him. And along with the Spirit, a voice: "You are my Son, chosen and marked by my love, pride of my life."

Simplified Cowboy Version
While everyone was in line to get dunked by John, Jesus came too. After getting dunked, Jesus was praying and the whole sky opened up.

Contextual Overview

²¹ While everyone else was being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. Then as he prayed, the sky opened up, ²² and the Holy Spirit came down upon him in the form of a dove. A voice from heaven said, "You are my own dear Son, and I am pleased with you." ²³The Preaching of John the Baptist For fifteen years Emperor Tiberius had ruled that part of the world. Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was the ruler of Galilee. Herod's brother, Philip, was the ruler in the countries of Iturea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was the ruler of Abilene. Annas and Caiaphas were the Jewish high priests. At that time God spoke to Zechariah's son John, who was living in the desert. So John went along the Jordan Valley, telling the people, "Turn back to God and be baptized! Then your sins will be forgiven." Isaiah the prophet wrote about John when he said, "In the desert someone is shouting, ‘Get the road ready for the Lord! Make a straight path for him. Fill up every valley and level every mountain and hill. Straighten the crooked paths and smooth out the rough roads. Then everyone will see the saving power of God.'" Crowds of people came out to be baptized, but John said to them, "You bunch of snakes! Who warned you to run from the coming judgment? Do something to show that you really have given up your sins. Don't start saying that you belong to Abraham's family. God can turn these stones into children for Abraham. An ax is ready to cut the trees down at their roots. Any tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire." The crowds asked John, "What should we do?" John told them, "If you have two coats, give one to someone who doesn't have any. If you have food, share it with someone else." When tax collectors came to be baptized, they asked John, "Teacher, what should we do?" John told them, "Don't make people pay more than they owe." Some soldiers asked him, "And what about us? What do we have to do?" John told them, "Don't force people to pay money to make you leave them alone. Be satisfied with your pay." Everyone became excited and wondered, "Could John be the Messiah?" John said, "I am just baptizing with water. But someone more powerful is going to come, and I am not good enough even to untie his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His threshing fork is in his hand, and he is ready to separate the wheat from the husks. He will store the wheat in his barn and burn the husks with a fire that never goes out." In many different ways John preached the good news to the people. But to Herod the ruler, he said, "It was wrong for you to take Herodias, your brother's wife." John also said that Herod had done many other bad things. Finally, Herod put John in jail, and this was the worst thing he had done. While everyone else was being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. Then as he prayed, the sky opened up, and the Holy Spirit came down upon him in the form of a dove. A voice from heaven said, "You are my own dear Son, and I am pleased with you." When Jesus began to preach, he was about thirty years old. Everyone thought he was the son of Joseph. But his family went back through Heli, ²⁴ Matthat, Levi, Melchi, Jannai, Joseph, ²⁵ Mattathias, Amos, Nahum, Esli, Naggai, ²⁶ Maath, Mattathias, Semein, Josech, Joda; ²⁷ Joanan, Rhesa, Zerubbabel, Shealtiel, Neri, ²⁸ Melchi, Addi, Cosam, Elmadam, Er, ²⁹ Joshua, Eliezer, Jorim, Matthat, Levi; ³⁰ Simeon, Judah, Joseph, Jonam, Eliakim,

Bible Verse Review
  from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge

that: Matthew 3:13-15, Mark 1:9, John 1:32-34

and praying: Luke 9:28, Luke 9:29, John 12:27, John 12:28

the heaven: Matthew 3:16, Matthew 3:17, Mark 1:10, John 1:32-34

Reciprocal: Ezekiel 1:1 - the heavens John 1:51 - Hereafter Acts 7:56 - I see Acts 10:11 - saw Revelation 4:1 - a door

Cross-References

Genesis 3:2
The woman answered, "God said we could eat fruit from any tree in the garden,

Genesis 3:3
except the one in the middle. He told us not to eat fruit from that tree or even to touch it. If we do, we will die."

Genesis 3:7
Right away they saw what they had done, and they realized they were naked. Then they sewed fig leaves together to make something to cover themselves.

Isaiah 61:10
I celebrate and shout because of my Lord God. His saving power and justice are the very clothes I wear. They are more beautiful than the jewelry worn by a bride or a groom.

Romans 3:22
God treats everyone alike. He accepts people only because they have faith in Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:21
Christ never sinned! But God treated him as a sinner, so that Christ could make us acceptable to God.

Gill's Notes on the Bible

Now when all the people were baptized,.... That came from several parts to John for this purpose, even as many as he judged to be proper subjects of that ordinance, as many of the common people, publicans, soldiers, c.

it came to pass that Jesus also being baptized of John in Jordan, he coming from Galilee thither on that account:

and praying; after he was baptized, for the coming down of the Spirit upon him, as man, to anoint, and qualify him for his office he was now about to enter on publicly: and for success in it, and for a testimony from heaven, that he was the Son of God, and true Messiah:

the heaven was opened;

:-.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

See the notes at Matthew 3:13-17. “Jesus being baptized;” or, Jesus “having been” baptized. This took place after the baptism, and not “during” its administration, Matthew 3:16.

Praying - This circumstance is omitted by the other evangelists; and it shows,

1. That Jesus was in the habit of prayer.
2. That it is proper to offer up special prayer at the administration of the ordinances of religion.
3. That it is possible to pray in the midst of a great multitude, yet in secret. The prayer consisted, doubtless, in lifting up the heart silently to God. So “we” may do it anywhere - about our daily toil - in the midst of multitudes, and thus may pray “always.”

Luke 3:22

In a bodily shape - This was a real visible appearance, and was doubtless seen by the people. The dove is an emblem of purity and harmlessness, and the form of the dove was assumed on this occasion to signify, probably, that the spirit with which Jesus would be endowed would be one of purity and innocence. The “Holy Spirit,” when he assumes a visible form, assumes that which will be emblematic of the thing to be represented. Thus he assumed the form of “tongues,” to signify the miraculous powers of language with which the apostles would be endowed; the appearance of fire, to denote their power, etc., Acts 2:3.

Clarke's Notes on the Bible

Verse Luke 3:21. Jesus - being baptized — See on Luke 3:16; Luke 3:17.